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Ribbon cutting June 22 at Freshtown

Margaretville — Freshtown owners, associates and community members will celebrate the re-opening of the Margaretville supermarket with a ribbon cutting on Friday, June 22 at 9 a.m.

The market, which was devastated by Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee last August, was closed for nine full months in the wake of the storm. The giant bear, which serves as the store’s “mascot,” was left standing in the storm making it, and the store’s re-opening, a symbol for many, of the community’s resilience.

“We are really glad to be back,” said Noah Katz of the family owned PSK Supermarkets which owns Freshtown.

“This community feels like home and since we have all suffered together, we think we should all take a moment to celebrate together as well.”

Katz said that the ceremony will be low key, but that he hopes friends and neighbors will come out so he can say hello and personally welcome them back.

Freshtown, which kept its local management staff on the payroll for the entire nine months it was closed, never wavered in its resolve to re-open the Margaretville store.

“It was a long slog working out the details, the insurance, the financing and everything else,” said Katz, “and we’re relieved that this phase of rebuilding is complete.”
With that milestone achieved, Katz and his brother, Dan, are now focused on the rebuilding of the adjacent space to house the CVS Pharmacy, which is still displaced and unable to provide its full range of goods and services to the region.

“It’s been a long haul,” said Katz, but it’s going to be a great summer and we are happy to kick it off in a really positive way.”